


All Cloak No Dagger

by dapatty



Series: Cinnamon Verse [3]
Category: Batwoman (TV 2019), Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Episode Tag, F/F, Fluff, Friendship, Kara Danvers Needs a Hug, Kate Kane is totally That Lesbian, Kissing, Light Angst, Low-key background Leverage crossover, Mary Hamilton is a Good Sister, Podfic Welcome, past Kate Kane/Sophie Moore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:15:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22054666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dapatty/pseuds/dapatty
Summary: Kara hurt from Lena’s reveal and crying on her couch wasn’t helping no matter how many potstickers her sister brought her, so she’d figured she’d take a little universe hopping jaunt. If Kate doesn’t have time to not talk about feelings there might, at least, be punching.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Kate Kane
Series: Cinnamon Verse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1477688
Comments: 8
Kudos: 166





	All Cloak No Dagger

**Author's Note:**

> Post Supergirl 5x8 and at least Batwoman 1x7 but before 1x8 in the wavy hands area of who knows what the season has in store and Infinite Earths is a problem for the future, friends. Basically, I'm still on my bs. 
> 
> Special thanks to trojie and uglowian for their eyes, remaining mistakes are my own. Title from BULLPEN by Dessa.

Kara usually always stopped by Seattle anytime she made the excuse to hop over to this Earth, but she didn’t want Team Leverage taking one look at her and fretting. Instead, this time, she went straight to Gotham. 

So now she was standing awkwardly outside of the Wayne Enterprises building and trying to decide if she'd made a mistake. Maybe she just needed to go back home. Or to Seattle after all, where Eliot would make a gruff offering of homemade ice cream “to just give it a try” and yeah, that’s her favorite flavor he just happened to be making anyway. Followed by Alec giving her a shoulder squeeze, saying, “Girl, say the word and I’ll hop over there and have their financials all tied up so bad not even Houdini could get outta it.” She especially didn’t know if she could handle Parker throwing her arm over her shoulder to, “go find some punching and then increasingly tall things to hurl themselves off of,” to test her new climbing rig. If they were even home. 

Squaring her shoulders, Kara turned to walk through the door and met an Asian woman wearing impossibly tall heels on her way out muttering, “Of course Kate is out. It’s not like we didn’t have plans for the third time this week. Just blow off your sister. That’s _fine_.” She rolled her eyes and nearly walked right into Kara. 

“Kate’s out?” Kara blurted before she could stop herself and couldn’t help but feel terribly disappointed and mentally kicked herself. What if there was a supervillain problem? What if said supervillain was a very put together Asian woman wearing the latest fashions and Kara just showed emotional vulnerability about Kate in front of her? What if Kate was just too busy? 

Kara tried to covertly scan Gotham for any glaring dangers, starting with the woman’s handbag. She breathed a mental sigh of relief at finding the most exciting thing in the woman’s bag to be a stethoscope.

“Oh no! I’m so sorry! I almost ran into you,” the woman said, shifting her handbag to the crook of her elbow that she’d nearly dropped at the sight of Kara, looking deeply apologetic.

“It’s fine,” Kara said, trying for blasé and missing by a half mile while pulling her senses back after not finding anything but Kate’s heartbeat, across town and seemingly in no danger. 

“Oh honey, did Kate stand you up too? But you’re so pretty and blonde and I said that last part out loud.” The woman winced. “Mary Hamilton, Kate’s sister, well, sister-in-law, but details.” She waved her hand and then reached it out to shake. 

“Kara Danvers.” She took Mary’s hand, careful to keep it the human range of firm. “And no, I didn’t get stood up. I was just in town and thought I’d stop by. Guess I should have called.” She smiled ruefully.

“Do you like brunch? Because I have a reservation at this excellent little upcoming spot and Kate was supposed to go as part of our agreed upon hanging out at least once a week deal and clearly she’s had some sort of ‘real estate emergency’”--Mary made air quotes with her fingers--“whatever that means. But brunch? My treat? We don’t even have to talk about whatever’s bothering you. We can just hang out and commiserate about Kate being a little flaky.”

Mary’s face was open and a little hopeful. All that Kara knew about Mary was from the couple times Kate mentioned her in conversation, which boiled down to; smart, fierce, and kind, with a dogged persistence that Kate admired even when it frustrated her. That Mary was someone of extraordinary grace that deserved more than the bullshit of both life and Kate’s family drama. But simply, maybe it would be nice to sit down to a meal with someone friendly and talk about inconsequential things. She wouldn’t even have to bring Lena up if she didn’t want to. 

“I do like brunch,” Kara said, her smile this time small but genuine. 

“Great, because I was gonna be sad if I missed out on chicken and waffles for a second week in a row,” Mary beamed at her and gestured to the car that pulled up to the curb. “Ride with me?”

“Well, I’m glad I could help, and that’d be lovely,” Kara said, sliding into the car beside Mary and fastening her seatbelt.

“So,” Mary said as the car started to roll. “Are you one of the people Kate met during her mysterious Crow training or are you an ex-girlfriend? Or both?” 

Kara snorted, “I’m flattered that you’d think I was either one of those things, but no. I’m a reporter. A story I was working on last fall led me here and we ran into each other. She is quite charming, but no, there’s not really anyone right now.”

“Quite charming, huh?” Mary smiled knowingly. “You can say it. Her flirting is kind of breathtaking. I’ve seen it. Girls get all flustered around her. It’s adorable.”

“I might have been slightly flustered,” Kara admitted. “Wait, what do you mean ‘her type?’”

“Well, maybe it’s not a type exactly because Sophie,” Mary said, face turning sheepish, “But—and please don’t take offense for me phrasing it this way—you’re the third stacked blonde I’ve met from her past. It’s like after Sophie she went in the complete opposite direction.”

“Ah,” Kara said, sighing just a little against the lump in her throat. “Well, it’s hard after falling in love—after letting someone see you—that seeing someone who looks like them hurts too much.” 

She tried not to dwell in grief. Losing as much as she has—from her whole planet to Mon El and now Lena.—sorrow almost felt like it’d become part of her bones. Love just hurt. With all that, Kara was sure that love was worth it even if things felt so hopeless right now. 

“Yeah,” Mary said, reaching out and giving Kara’s hand a squeeze and a kind smile. Kara gave a brief smile in return.

“So, Kate is trying to move on with stacked blondes?” Kara said her smile turning wry as she shifted the subject away from her current heartbreak.

“Hey, you’re gorgeous and look like you could easily pick her up,” Mary shrugged with sly smile.

Kara found herself laughing as Mary’s giggle joined in.

“Yeah,” Kara admitted after their laughter settled down after a few minutes, “I could definitely pick her up.”

Which only set them both off again.

***

Breakfast with Mary was a pleasant affair. She was whip-smart and seemed to remember everyone’s name, and asked after kids and partners. Kara found everything that she had to say about being an influencer to be interesting.

“I don’t know how you even want to keep up with all the trends,” Kara said, taking another slice out of her waffle. “Like, I don’t know how to even begin to care about that when there’s so much everything else going on.”

“I can see where you’re coming from, ye olde investigative reporter,” Mary said taking a sip of juice. “And a lot of those salacious headlines seem like a waste of time, but you have to remember that _everything_ is political. Fashion, food, entertainment, not just politics and ‘unbiased news'.’’ 

“Yeah, you’re right, but it’s hard for me personally and professionally take interest in things that aren’t at the heart of the stories I’m pursuing,” Kara admitted. “Especially when my new boss wants to step back from even the most basic of facts.”

“All because something seems like a superfluous time suck doesn’t mean that it can’t be used for good.” Mary leaned forward. “Sure, I talk a lot about shoes or where’s the latest spot to get coffee, but I can aim my audience toward things that you consider to have more value. Everything I love and take part in has value for me. I’m gonna be a doctor and I’m passionate about my interests. Hell, someday, I might even need those connections in my medical career. You gotta be able to see the potential, Kara.”

Kara set back, chewing on her bite of chicken and this thought. She hadn’t meant to complain about work and Andrea’s approach to Catco, but Mary’s take has helped more than she’d expected. “But what my boss wants me to write now feels so limiting.” 

“It feels limiting to you because you’ve won awards for what you think of as ‘serious journalism,’” Mary shrugged. “It all can be serious. You’ve just got to find where all rules are and bend them to your will. All because you’ve been put in a new box, doesn’t mean you can’t get out of it. Just punch through.”

“Who are we punching?” Kate asked, seeming to appear at their table. Mary startled, nearly knocking her juice over. Kara had noticed her heartbeat approaching and only felt a little bad she didn’t warn Mary.

“No one yet, unfortunately,” Kara said, standing and reaching out for a hug. Kate squeezed hard and pulled back to look at her, face shrewd. “Okay, what did Lena do?”

Kara started to make excuses, but her shoulders dropped as she sighed, sitting back down, and said, “A lot. And I’m pretty sure I deserved it.”

“Absolutely not,” Kate said, frowning murderously, pulling up a chair.

“Yeah, no,” Mary agreed, fiercely before pouring Kate a cup of coffee and sliding the cream over.

“Guys, it’s fine,” Kara said, waving her hand dismissively.

“Not if you made a trip and you’ve not even finished your breakfast,” Kate said pointedly. “Not to sound like Alex, but she is a Luthor and yeah I know she has some redeeming qualities, but I’m your friend and completely on your side.” Kate held her gaze until Kara nodded back. Tipping her coffee in thanks she turned to Mary whose eyes widened at ‘Luthor’. “Sorry I’m late, by the way.”

“It’s mostly okay. You did manage to show up this time.” Mary narrowed her eyes at Kate for a moment and Kara must have looked uncomfortable enough that she shrugged as if to file any questions away for later. “Besides, I’ve had excellent company.”

“Which is why you didn’t text me and complain about my lack of communication.?” Kate lifted an eyebrow.

“I figured it was another ‘real estate emergency’,” Mary rolled her eyes as she made air quotes.

“It was a little actually,” Kate said, smiling wide and reaching out to take Kara’s hand, her thumb rubbing calming circles on the back of Kara’s wrist. “You know the gay bar that you are so graciously helping to design?”

“Oh did you have even more words with that restauranteur across the street?” Mary’s lips tipped up in excitement as she put her plate in front of Kate that still had a whole piece of chicken and Kara handed over a waffle she hadn’t touched. Kate gave Kara’s hand one last squeeze and set about carefully pouring syrup over the waffle.

“Of course I did,” Kate savored her bite and chased it with a drink of coffee. “And before you ask, no I didn’t start it. He was already on the street being interviewed by Vicki Vale and called the upcoming club “a disgrace” as I was passing by. I was only being neighborly and doing the best for my investment.”

Mary cackled, clapping her hands. “It’s like some people have no sense of self-preservation.”

“Right?” Kate sat up a little straighter, turning her head to Kara as she talked. “So, backstory. I was trying to have a dinner with Sophie where I’d planned to say some things that needed saying. Before we could even get started, the owner pointedly came over to tell me that my sneakers were not appropriate attire.”

“When dudes at the next table were dressed the same as Kate,” Mary shook her head, frowning.

“Basically, how dare two women sit in a restaurant and hold hands in candlelight. It looked too gay and made him uncomfortable.” She rolled her eyes. 

“Have you destroyed this place with your crazy social media powers yet?” Kara asked Mary.

“At Kate’s request, no,” Mary pouted. 

“Only because I play a long game and bought the run-down building across the street as part of my plan to reinvigorate Gotham and keep rents down for the parts of the city outside of Crow jurisdiction,” Kate finished off her borrowed breakfast. “Turns out it has a perfect space on the first floor for a club and meeting space for LGBT youth.”

“How diabolical,” Kara joked and couldn’t fight her smile. 

“Truly diabolical would be making out on the street in front of the building,” Kate mused, her smile turned coy. “You up for it? If that doesn’t entice you, we’re still in the demolition stages and you can cause some mayhem with a sledgehammer.”

“Some controlled demolition sounds amazing actually,” Kara said, smiling. It really did. And if it were just them, Kate would totally let her punch a couple walls. 

“Well, I’ve got to get to my classes,” Mary said, standing up and shouldering her bag. “It was lovely to meet you Kara. Please keep in touch with me when Kate inevitably breaks your heart because she’s still hung up on Sophie.”

Kate scoffed as Kara stood up and gave Mary a careful hug and a big smile. “Of course. The more friends the merrier.”

“ _Merrier_ , I see what you did there,” Mary grinned, pulling away. 

“Bye sis,” Kate said, hiding a smile when Mary’s grin turned to her. 

After Mary was out of ear shot, Kate turned an intense look on Kara. “Now, do you want to talk about it or do you want to go smash things? I’m in between cases other than Alice at the moment, so no punching, unfortunately.”

“I don’t want to talk about it, but I feel like I need to, if that makes sense,” Kara said, shoulders slumping.

“It makes total sense,” Kate downed the last of her coffee. “Let me lead you to smashing. I really do need demolition help and I’m certain you have a solid handle on what a load-bearing wall looks like since you have probably thrown things into enough walls. And if you want to talk, you can and if you don’t, don’t. I’m glad you’re here regardless.”

Kara tried to hide her mirth when she asked, “Hey, are we taking your bike?”

“Well, we certainly aren’t flying there,” Kate winked. “It’s just across town and it’s not like you’d be scared of riding, right?” Kate’s face grew serious until Kara snorted a laugh and she rolled her eyes.

“Ah, you worried about me,” Kara teased. 

“You had me going there for a sec,” Kate admitted, picking up the check.

***

“Wow, this place is—,” Kara whistled.

“A dump,” Kate said with a nod and a grin.

“Maybe a little, but it’s going to be wonderful,” Kara said. She could see the potential. “And if you wanted to _speed_ things along, I think Wally is doing some sort of spiritual journey.”

“As tempting as that would be, this is actually a soothing distraction to everything,” Kate gestured vaguely. “Beth has been quiet for a couple weeks, but I’m trying not to hold my breath. She’s still very much a stranger on one hand while being so damn familiar on the other. The ways that I thought I knew her turned out to be exactly how I didn’t know her at all.”

“Yeah, I can relate to that,” Kara said and sighed. “So, I finally told Lena I’m Supergirl. I thought she understood and she let me believe that things were fine,” she sniffed, blinking back tears. “Turns out she’d felt betrayed, which is fair. I was the one that pushed for friends and wasn’t honest with her from the beginning and I’m just another person who’s lied to her. She has every right to feel the way she feels.”

“Well, yeah,” Kate said reaching out for Kara’s hand and brushing away a tear from her cheek with the other, “but you’re protecting your family with your secret. You were protecting her from the dangers of knowing Supergirl. I’m sure there’s things Lena hasn’t told you either.”

“Alex made some good points on that front,” Kara muttered and Kate snorted a laugh. 

“You’re holding something back, though.” Kate laced her fingers through Kara’s, grounding her as her face grew serious and Kara sighed. “What did Lena do to you?”

“She used me to get into the Fortress in order to take a device that would have controlled the world population’s will, and locked me in a Kryptonite laced cage so she could escape.” Kara knew her voice sounded as hollow as she felt. The phantom burn of the meteorite biting at her skin, making her knees feel weak. She could almost taste the sournessof fear in the back of her throat that no one would come for her.

“I was afraid you’d say something like that,” Kate said pulling Kara in for a hug as Kara wiped at her cheeks. Just when she thought she had no more tears for this at all here she was crying again. 

“She’s just hurt,” Kara defended. “She’s a good person.”

“And I was afraid you’d say something like that too,” Kate rubbed small circles on Kara’s back and tucked her chin over Kara’s shoulder.

“You sound like Alex,” Kara grumbled wrapping her arms around Kate’s back.

“Intelligent with excellent points all while having excellent hair. I’m flattered,” Kate said, voice light, giving one last squeeze and pulling back to look at Kara softly.

“You would be,” Kara joked and felt a little lighter as Kate produced an actual cloth handkerchief from her jacket pocket. “Resourceful.”

“Well, I’m totally That Lesbian,” Kate grinned, brandishing it with a flourish as she offered it.  
Kara snorted a laugh and dried her eyes, looking down. When she looked back up, Kate’s eyes were focused across the room at the pride flag hanging in the window. Her jawline was completely distracting, Kara decided. She wanted to reach out and brush her fingers along it, so she did. 

Kate’s cheek pulled up into a smile that made Kara feel warm down to her toes even with her face still in profile, especially when she said, voice teasing, “Like something you see?”

“Yeah,” Kara said, swallowing down nerves. “I do.”

Kate’s smile was breath-taking when she turned back to face her. “Good, because I do too,” she said, reaching out to cup Kara’s cheek with her palm, fingers soft and careful like she was something to be treated gently, taken care of. 

Kara was the one to lean in for the kiss first. Kate’s fingers wrapped around her bicep, clinging as she tilted her head and deepened the kiss like she wanted to make it count, in case this was a one off. 

“Kara, I,” Kate hummed contentedly when Kara kissed her again. 

“Yeah. So, I just really wanted to do that, and it’s been a while since I’ve done something because I wanted it.” Kara admitted.

“You should have what you want,” Kate said, hands coming up to bracket Kara’s face, thumbs tracing her cheek bones. 

“I feel like I should point out that we’re both kind of a mess,” Kara said, lump in her throat. Because she’s seen Kate look at Sophie—seen how she looked unmoored in a sea of longing. She knew how much it sucked when the person you love still loved someone else. She didn’t think she could do that to herself, no matter how self-destructive she felt right now.

“We’re definitely a mess,” Kate said, her face a little sad. “And though part of me wants to just say, ‘But let’s make out,’ and not talk about it. That’s not fair to either of us. I’m trying to move on and not dwell on what could have been. She didn’t choose me for a whole host of reasons and it hurt, but I can’t waste anymore time on that. And I understand if you just want to neck in the rafters and carry on being friends, but this is me taking a chance and I’ve rambled a bit, so.”

Kate’s sheepish face smoothed out to hopeful as Kara couldn’t help but smile. 

“Let’s start with making out and maybe some cuddling and see where things go from there,” Kara said, leaning in for another kiss.

“Absolutely,” Kate agreed, meeting her halfway.


End file.
